Young men on a missionhttp://unclineberger.org/news/bikeloud
Seven scouts travel cross country to raise dollars and awareness for adolescent and young adult cancer patients at UNC Lineberger through the Be Loud, Sophie! Foundation.Their bags were packed and their bikes were ready on June 14, 2015, when seven Boy Scouts from Carrboro Boy Scout Troop 845 flew from North Carolina to Oregon to begin a 10-week transcontinental bike ride. The scouts, who are accompanied by seven scout leaders, will travel through small towns and big cities, experiencing life on the open road over the course of the summer. And while this adventure will certainly be the stuff memories are made of, the boys have taken on this biking challenge as part of a greater mission: along their 3,900 mile journey, the scouts will promote the need for teen cancer services while raising awareness for the Be Loud, Sophie! Foundation.

“The unique thing about this trip is that it has been a major long-term goal for the boys for several years,” explains Ed Billings, a scout leader who is biking with his son Sam and the other six scouts across country. “These kids have been raising money to go on this trip since many of them were in the sixth grade. And now their dream is becoming a reality.’’

The Cause

As the boys travel from the west coast back home to North Carolina, they’ll be pursuing their goal of raising $19,500 to benefit the Be Loud, Sophie! Foundation. Be Loud, Sophie! was created in honor of Sophie Steiner, a UNC pediatric patient who lost her battle with germ-cell cancer at the age of 15. But Sophie’s story did not end there. Before she died, she expressed her strong desire to help adolescent and young adult cancer patients and their families at UNC Hospitals. She particularly wanted to help young cancer patients stay true to themselves in the face of overwhelming illness. The Be Loud! Sophie Foundation is dedicated to carrying out Sophie’s wish by providing financial support for special programs that enhance the independence, dignity, sense of empowerment, privacy, and identity of adolescent and young adult cancer patients at UNC. The hope is that eventually, UNC will become a national leader in addressing the unique needs of this age group and will serve as a best practices role model for other hospitals to follow.

Billings says Sophie’s parents, Niklaus and Lucy, spent a significant amount of time with the scouts before their trip began. “They wanted to tell the boys all about Sophie and to help them understand the importance of their fundraising efforts. Niklaus and Lucy are truly honored that the boys are riding to support Sophie’s cause.”

Heading Home

When the scouts complete their biking expedition in Wilmington, North Carolina in mid-August, Billings says he believes they will have gained a new appreciation for their country, their health, their families and for life in general.

“What’s important is that this journey is not just about the boys,” says Billings. “It’s about helping others. It has a charitable component, and that adds a whole other dimension to this trip. The boys are having a fuller experience because they’re biking to benefit kids who can’t. To them, this isn’t really a vacation; it’s a mission.”

Keep up with the Bike Loud team by visiting their blog, www.bikeloud.org.

]]>No publisher2015ccspeventspediatric2015/06/30 11:50:00 GMT-4News ItemJoin the UNC/Rex team for 2015 Susan G. Komen Triangle Race for the Cure! http://unclineberger.org/news/komen-2015
The 2015 Susan G. Komen Triangle Race for the Cure is scheduled for Saturday, June 13th on the campus of Meredith College in Raleigh, NC.This is the second year that UNC Health Care and Rex Healthcare are walking as one team as part of the race.

Race for the Cure is the Komen Foundation’s major annual event that celebrates survivorship, honors those who have lost their battle and raises funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. The majority of funds raised at this event go to support breast cancer patients in our community.

Make sure to register before midnight on May 26 to receive a UNC Health Care/Rex team t-shirt! Participants registering after May 26 will not receive a t-shirt and will be required to pick up their race materials at the race. Online race registration closes June 9.

]]>No publisherevents2015/05/20 11:05:00 GMT-4News ItemEvent honors Durhams, raises money to name a consultation room in their honorhttp://unclineberger.org/news/2011-news/event-honors-durhams
Woody and Jean Durham were honored on October 13 in Chapel Hill for their volunteer service to UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at a dinner called “A Toast to Woody.”

The dinner raised $25,000 for the N.C. Cancer Hospital Clinical Endowment Fund and in recognition of these gifts, a consultation room in the will be named in their honor in the Patient and Family Resource Center.

Woody Durham served as emcee for the UNC Lineberger signature event: Fast Break with Roy Williams, a yearly breakfast held on the floor of the Smith Center the morning of October 14. Durham’s skills as an auctioneer helped the event to raise $1.2 million over an eight-year period.

The Toast event also honored Jean Durham for her tireless leadership of the signature UNC Lineberger event, Tickled Pink, for many years. She organized a committed cadre of volunteers, leading the decorating of the event site, and producing very successful and fun events!

The Durhams were honored in 2010 by UNC Lineberger with the Outstanding Service Award, an annual award given to volunteers who provide dedicated service and outstanding leadership to UNC Lineberger.